THE 5 MOST POPULAR LEGENDS AND MYTHS OF TACNA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The main legends and myths of Tacna, a Peruvian state, are the legend of the Vilcas, the Locumba treasure, the child's shoes, the Devil's ravine and the picanteria batán.

The fantastic stories about myths and legends remain valid for decades among the inhabitants of the department of Tacna.

Locumba's treasure

These stories are passed on orally. They constitute a way of educating the young generations about Inca stories and the meanings of some natural phenomena.

You may also be interested in the history of Tacna.

The 5 most popular legends of Tacna

1- The legend of the Vilcas

This legend is located in pre-Hispanic times during the Inca rule, when the lands that today comprise Tacna lived the chief Apú Vilca.

He had a beautiful daughter named Vilca, who falls in love with a soldier and refuses to marry by force the candidate chosen by her father according to established custom.

Her father is upset and tries to lock her up in the springs of the valley, but the young woman manages to escape thanks to the fact that the mountains are moved by her tears and open a gap so that she can run towards her freedom.

But the maiden Vilca, in her despair, climbs the Callata hill northeast of Tacna and throws herself into the void, achieving her death.

Moved, Mother Earth decides to prolong her life by turning her into a tree that the locals decided to call Vilca.

2- The treasure of Locumba

This legend refers to a huge treasure buried by the Inca people in what is now known as the Plaza de Locumba. The event occurs just after the execution of Atahualpa is announced.

Legend has it that in 1868 the inhabitants decided to look for the treasure buried in a corner of the square, but this unleashed a huge curse that caused the famous earthquake of that year.

3- The Devil's Creek

This legend tells that a very well dressed man appears on the roads near the Devil's gorge and invites the men to come to his house, a huge mansion next to the road.

When men pass by, they are offered luxuries, food and drinks, but if someone names the Lord Jesus Christ, everything suddenly vanishes, with only a silver coin from the colonial era appearing in their hands.

4- The child's shoes

This legend is one of the most recent in Tacna. It is related to a sculptural piece of the Virgen del Rosario.

Legend has it that the baby Jesus that the Virgin carries in her arms turns into a real child and usually comes down to play with the other infants in the parade ground.

They say that the evidence of this event can be seen each time the Virgin is made arrangements, since the child's silver shoes appear full of mud and dust and his stockings are torn.

5- Batán de la picantería

This legend takes place in the Pago de Aymara. When the cook of the most delicious spice in town dies, her spirit begins to come from beyond to visit her home at night.

Inside his house he has a mill or fulling mill, which begins to turn on its own without any explanation.

References

1. Dávila, G. (2016). Unusual presences of death in the Peruvian collective imagination: souls in pain, ghosts or souls. Arequipa: Editorial Distribuidora Alexis. Retrieved on November 27, 2017 from: urp.edu.pe
2. Ponce, E; Van Bladen, M. (2015). Stories of Andean history. Retrieved on November 27, 2017 from: ufro.cl
3. Lehnert, R. (2003) Study of the oral literature of the Andean communities. Retrieved on November 27, 2017 from: flacsoandes.edu.ec
4. Tapia, M. (2016). Myths and legends of Tacna. Retrieved on November 27, 2017 from: mitosyleyendasdetacna.blogspot.com
5. Villalobos, S. (2002). Chile and Peru: the history that unites us and separates us 1535-1883. Lima: Editorial Universitaria. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from: books.google.es